This year, New Japan Pro Wrestling is celebrating the tenth anniversary of
the Top of the Super Junior Heavyweight tournament. Starting on May 19th and wrappng up on June 6th, the tournament hosts an international field of junior
heavyweight wrestlers from the U.S., Mexico and Europe vying for supremacy.

The international aspect of this tournament is what has made it so great.
Wrestlers from around the globe converge on Japan each year for this
tournament, bringing together a host of different styles and wrestling
traditions. The athletic based Puroresu style of Japanese wrestling is
amalgamated with the fast paced movement of Mexico's Lucha Libre, the stiff
tradition of British and Canadian wrestling, and the big bumping
style of American wrestling, creating a wrestling melting pot.

Only the best junior heavyweight from around the world have been invited to
this tournament.
Canadians have left their mark on this annual tournament. Chris Benoit
became the first non-Japanese wrestler to win the tournament in 1993,
competing under a mask as the Pegasus Kid and defeating Jushin "Thunder"
Liger in the finals. This tournament is where Benoit's talents were first
allowed to shine on an international scale and where he first established
himself as a superstar. Others such as Owen Hart and Chris Jericho have
also competed in the tournament.

Eddie Guerrero, winner of the '96 tournament, under the mask as Black Tiger.

American wrestlers such as Eddie Guerrero, (who won the tournament in 1996
competing under a mask as Black Tiger), Dean Malenko, Jerry Lynn, Brian
Pillman and 2 Cold Scorpio have competed in this tournament. Current WWF
star X-Pac competed in the 1993 tournament when he was known as Lightning
Kid, establishing himself as a future superstar.

Mexican superstars such as Negro Casas, Dr Wagner Jr, Villano IV and El
Felino have left their indelible mark on this tournament. Europe has also
been well represented at this tournament over the years. Germany has sent
over such stars as WCW's Alex Wright and Franz Schumann while England has
sent Dave "Fit" Finley, Robbie Brookside and Doc Dean.

And of course, the who's who of Japanese junior heavyweights have all
competed. Jushin "Thunder" Liger, Hiro Hase, Shinjiro Otani, Koji
Kanemoto, Taka Michinoku, ECW's Yoshihiro Tajiri and El Samurai.

The tournament divides the wrestlers into two groups. Wrestlers in those
groups compete in round robin matches compiling two points for a win, one
for a draw and none for a loss. The winners of both groups then meet in
the finals of the tournament, to be held on June 6th at Tokyo's Budokan
Hall, the Mecca of Japanese wrestling.

Let's look at this year's field and examine how they'll likely do --

BLOCK A:

SHOCKERPromotion: EMLL (Mexico)Signature Move: tope con hilo
Tournament experience: none
Prognosis for this year: Competing in his first tournament, Shocker isn't expected to go very far.
He has an incredible arsenal of aerial moves and is one of the young lions
in Mexico. This is his first time wrestling on an international stage so
don't expect booker Jushin Liger to let him get any significant wins.
He will gain invaluable seasoning and experience that will help him climb
the ladder back in Mexico.

Koji KanemotoPromotion: New Japan Pro WrestlingSignature Move: stiff kicks
Tournament experience: last place '92, fourth place in '95, seventh place
in '96, finalist in '97, winner in '98
Prognosis for this year: Last year's champion and the current IWGP Junior Heavyweight champion,
Kanemoto is one of the top workers in Japan. He is an incredibly stiff
worker as is an accomplished mat technician. I'd expect Liger will have
him do some high profile jobs to help elevate some other wrestlers.

Jushin "Thunder" LigerPromotion: New Japan Pro WrestlingSignature Move: palm blow
Tournament Experience: 6th place in '88 (wrestled under his real name
Keiichi Yamada before donning a mask), finalist in '91, winner in '92, 3rd
place in '93, winner in '94, finalist in '96, second place in '97, second
place in '98
Prognosis for this year:Always a threat as he consistently puts on the best matches at this
tournament. He'll do well but I can't see him putting himself in the
finals. He'll place second in his group and help establish someone else as
a major star.

Tatsuhito TakaiwaPromotion: New Japan Pro WrestlingSignature Move - Triple powerbomb into a Death Valley Driver
Tournament Experience: third place in '96, third place in 97, fifth place
in '98
Prognosis for this year: One of the guys I expect Liger will give a major push to in this
tournament. Takaiwa has been the most improved wrestler in Japan over the
past two years and this tournament will be his coming out. He'll be put
over the more established stars and be elevated.

Gran HamadaPromotion: Michinoku Pro WrestlingSignature Move: huricanrana
Tournament Experience - sixth place in '95
Prognosis for this year: The "Godfather" of the junior heavyweights, he's held virtually every major
junior heavyweight title in the world. One of the older wrestlers who
paved the way for younger wrestlers in the junior heavyweight division. A
sentimental favorite but I can't see Liger giving the tournament to a guy
in his forties.

Nariaki Mochizuki rounds out Block A.

BLOCK B:

Dr Wagner JrPromotion: EMLL, MexicoSignature Move: the Wagner Driver (variation of the Michinoku Driver II
where he drops his opponent directly on his head!)
Tournament Experience: 5th place in '97, finalist in '98
Prognosis for this year: Last year's finalist had a tremendous year in Japan and is a heavy favorite
to win this year. He'll be there at the end but it isn't is year just yet.
Likely a second place finish or another birth in the finals. Next year
will be his year.

Shinjiro OtaniPromotion: New Japan Pro WrestlingSignature Move: Northern Lights Suplex
Tournament Experience: tenth place in '93, eighth place in '94, finalist in
'95, third place in '96, second place in '97, third place in '98
Prognosis for this year: Losing in the finals to Chris Benoit in 1995, Otani is the perennial
bridesmaid of this tournament. A superb worker who combines speed, agility
and aerial moves, this is his year.

El SamuraiPromotion: New Japan Pro WrestlingSignature Move: frogsplash
Tournament Experience - finalist in '92, finalist in '93, fourth place in
'94, eighth place in '95, second place in '96, winner in '97, second place
in '98
Prognosis for this year: An underrated worker who has been to three finals, Samurai combines aerial
moves with a solid mat game. An established figure in this tournament,
he'll likely be used to put over and help elevate someone else.

Kendo Ka ShinPromotion: New Japan Pro WrestlingSignature Move: double arm bar submission
Tournament Experience: fifth place in '98
Prognosis for this year: Ka Shin has climbed up the ladder in New Japan over the past year and this
tournament will be no different. He'll be elevated up this year by scoring
some big wins and being put over by the other established stars.